


From robin to hawk

by Buteolagopus (AcruxRegulus)



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: M/M, a little bit of a Athelstan/Ragnar feeling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:36:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28389387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcruxRegulus/pseuds/Buteolagopus
Summary: Ragnar is watching an eagle and shows Athelstan what's the real meaning of freedom is.
Kudos: 5





	From robin to hawk

**Author's Note:**

> Do you know these moments, when you see a bird and think: it surely would be nice to fly without barriers where ever you want? It's a part of dreaming, I think. Who dreams knows how to fly...
> 
> I hope, you like the short story :)

“Ragnar?”  
“Hmm?”  
“What are you doing?”

Without turning around Ragnar knew who spoke to him. He would recognize this voice out of thousand. But he didn’t answer on the question as long, as he felt a soft tip on his shoulder. Athelstan now stood next to him, tried to spot the point that Ragnar fixed with his eyes. A soft breeze was blowing on the hill they stood. The view was breath-taking.

Silence surrounded them while they were staring at the sky.  
“Ragnar? What are we looking for?” Again Athelstan’s voice which broke the tranquillity. Ragnar smiled or actually, it was more of a grin.  
“You see the eagle above?”, Ragnar asked and the monk besides him got confused.

“Yes. Are you looking for it?”  
“No. I’m not looking for. I’m just watching. It seems very strong, don’t it?”  
Athelstan didn’t know what to replay. He never thought Ragnar would be the kind of person who got impressed by nature. So he answered the same.

“Yes.” He still didn't understand.

“As an eagle you surely have much of freedom. You can go where ever you want, do whatever you want.”  
“Aren’t you doing that anyway? And you are not a bird, Ragnar”, Athelstan reminded him. It should be a joke.

Ragnar gave him a quick look. Amusement flashed in his eyes.

“That’s true”, he agreed with a grin.  
“If you could be an animal, which one you would be?”

Athelstan didn’t expect this question, so he took time for thinking.

“Hmm… I don’t know. Maybe a hawk? We had many of them in the monastery. I think they are lovely.” Athelstan normally didn’t speak about the cloister and he never mentioned the name “Lindisfarne”. There were too much memories… And anyway, it was the past. Past that had to rest. He was happy here. He was happy with Ragnar.  
Ragnar nodded like he knew what Athelstan meant.

“You see? A bird. Because they spread power; with every flapping of the wings. They are majestic.”  
Athelstan, who glanced at Ragnar for a moment, took his eyes back to the sky and continued staring. He liked the way his friend spoke about these animals.

As Athelstan didn’t say anything more, Ragnar turned his eyes off the sky and looked at him, a strange twinkle in his look.

“But I think you would be more of a robin.”

“A robin?”, Athelstan repeated, rising an eyebrow.

“Yes. They are beautiful and gently, but no warriors. It’s a long way from a robin to a hawk, you know?” Ragnar didn’t stop staring at him and Athelstan got a bit nervous. Who didn't get nervous about those ice-blue eyes?

“Should that be an insult?”  
“No. That should be a motivation. Because I know you have what it takes to be a hawk, Athelstan.” The pronunciation of his name sent shivers down his spine. Only Ragnar achieved such a feeling in him just by saying his name.

The Viking took a step to get closer to his friend. Athelstan was immediately captured by his eyes, like every time.  
This near was almost unbearable. It tingled all over his body and he could not do anything else than staring in these wonderful, deep eyes.

“Ragnar?”, Athelstan whispered. Somehow he was afraid that he could destroy this moment just with words.  
“Hmm?”  
“I think … I think we should go back…”, he tried to get out of this situation. It was a poor attempt.  
“Yeah? You think?”, Ragnar replied. His gaze seemed to intensify from second to second. Athelstan wasn’t able to answer.

Why did every fibre of his body cry out for this man? This man, who seemed so near at the moment. Athelstan finally wanted to say something, as he got interrupted by Ragnar.  
“I think, we should stay here a little longer.”  
There was something in these words which made Athelstan agree without doubts. But maybe it was only Ragnar. Only Ragnar… only Ragnar seemed to be enough right now.

With Ragnar he would stay here forever.


End file.
